There are a number of these types of videos floating around. As churches are embracing the arts more and more on any given Sunday, Saturday or Wednesday you can walk into a church and be “blessed” with a video illustration, if the church is serious about keeping up with the times. Chances are that this is an illustration for a sermon of what church and the Christian life is not, and chances are that no matter how great the preacher, it was completely ineffective. Ok, maybe for a couple days.

Because I do not hide my cynicism, most people feel free to bitch about church with me. It is definitely one of my favorite topics and I don’t mind so much as long as the conversation has a hope for change. Lately I have been having a lot of conversations with people that are thinking about leaving the church they are at for greener pastures. I will listen and most likely agree with the complaints. They normally revolve around the type of music, the environment, the feel, the cliques or the lack of the ability to engage with the presence of God. Unless there is some sort of doctrinal disconnect or they are still in shopping mode, I refuse to encourage anyone to leave a church for a reason that has only their interest in mind.

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/drive-thru-church/feed/3tarvercNew on the have to do listhttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/new-on-the-have-to-do-list/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/new-on-the-have-to-do-list/#commentsTue, 16 Oct 2007 17:07:52 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/new-on-the-have-to-do-list/Screw walking, I want to fly !!!
]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/new-on-the-have-to-do-list/feed/5tarvercMortgage page updatehttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/mortgage-page-update/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/mortgage-page-update/#respondMon, 15 Oct 2007 20:25:55 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/mortgage-page-update/The last few months it seems that I am doing more and more budget work, getting my clients ready to buy either their 1st home or more properties. I posted an article on my Mortgage Info page about budgets, check it out.
]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/mortgage-page-update/feed/0tarvercIn Rainbowshttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/in-rainbows/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/in-rainbows/#commentsThu, 11 Oct 2007 18:46:12 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/in-rainbows/Radiohead announced October 1st,on its blog, casually as if they were talking about a night at the pub, that they were releasing a new album in ten days. At first I didn’t give it much of a thought other than I was happy that I didn’t have to wait six months for the album. Yesterday, I went to the site and found out that by choosing the download option, I got to decide what this album was worth to me. Yes, I actually paid for music!

I don’t normally read too much news, which is why I just found out about this, but it has been a blast reading how people are responding to this beautiful act of vulnerability. There are two general questions that I see being raised. The first being, is it going to work, which is really, are they going to make any money? Who cares, it is clear that they want their fans to decide the value of the new album. The second being, how is this going to change the business, which is really, are middle men in the music business still going to make money? There are very few bands in a position to let their audiences decide what to pay so, yes there is still money to be made.

It is not hard for me to sit and dream, of a society that relies on each other to define value, putting aside self for others and actually believing that as I take care of others, I in turn will be taken care of. What would happen if we all followed the model that Radiohead is taking with In Rainbows and let whoever is receiving what we do dictate honestly its worth?

So what did I pay for In Rainbows?

I’ll never tell

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/in-rainbows/feed/3tarvercOh the Drunk Dialhttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/oh-the-drunk-dial/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/oh-the-drunk-dial/#commentsWed, 26 Sep 2007 19:58:35 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/oh-the-drunk-dial/So I got drunk dialed a while ago by an ex. It has been a good three years since we last talked and I am still not sure what to do with hearing from her. For the most part I have processed and worked through the hurt that was done in that relationship both by me and to me. Apologies were made and in all honesty I was under the impression that I would never hear from this girl again. Tara and I were in NY and the call came in at about 2:30 in the morning. I thought that I recognized the # but I wasn’t sure. We talked for a little bit and caught each other up on the major happenings over the last years and left it at that.

This late night phone call causes an array of thoughts to spur in my head. I am a person that hates to say good-bye to or end a relationship. I understand the depth of relationships will change, but to end completely OUCH. This one on the other hand needed to end. Both of us were horrible to each other but yet we could not get enough of each other either. Back and forth over the years we would never quite end it. I was talking with Tara about her; I have such a rad wife. This ex of mine is a beautiful woman with a great head on her shoulders. She is more than capable of wise decisions and does make some. She is also a woman that has been shit on more than any I know. She is strong and takes the ride of life well and is deserving of commendation.

When things change, people die or relationships end it is so important to look back at the experience and take a survey. Mostly an assessment to make sure that you are processing the termination, finding where you are hurt, reconcile that hurt and go on.

And of course I have to show off my beautiful son

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/oh-the-drunk-dial/feed/2tarvercbeautiful-smiling-boy.jpgNew website !!!https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/new-website/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/new-website/#commentsMon, 10 Sep 2007 18:46:18 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/new-website/My friend Hans has created a new website for Shirts For Limbs.

As always thank you for spreading the word and please keep it up. We are really excited about what has been achieved so far, and we need to keep the momentum going. I am adjusting to walking on this donated knee very quickly which is awesome but I am really starting to see why my prosthestist was saying that this knee would really only work as a temporary solution, mostly to learn on.

I will have more updates on the walking progress soon. Please check out the new site and feel free to leave your feedback.

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/new-website/feed/4tarvercEnd of Summer updatehttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/update/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/update/#commentsMon, 03 Sep 2007 19:24:26 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/update/I have taken a break from blogging for the last couple of weeks. As what is starting to feel like normal for me, there have been some more big changes; new job, family visiting, learning to walk and oh yeah getting used to our beautiful baby.

When I moved to Portland four years ago I found what was the perfect company for me at that time. I am in the mortgage business, and what I needed most at 25 years of age in a new location was an employer that would not only direct me well, but also educate and respect me. Last year the company that filled that expectation opened a mortgage banking side and I moved away from loan origination to work as an Account Executive. As an AE I worked directly with loan officers and quite frankly got sick of educating them on how to best do their job and take care of their clients. Because of the changes in the Mortgage industry, my growing family and the desire to work more directly with homeowners and buyers, I am going back to being a Mortgage Originator.

While making this decision I also determined that I needed a different company. I have for the last couple of years been looking for a way to incorporate some of my personal philosophies of community into my professional life. A friend of mine, Tony, has been working with a partner, Jared, successfully for over three years and after a couple meetings with them we were all convinced that we would be a good team. The two of them already have a good system of educating their clients in place and is really easy to fit me in. The last couple of weeks have been so refreshing. Having people around me that hold some of the same values, in a professional setting, is so hard to find. In this market, the system that we are setting up is very exciting and I have no doubt will be efficient.

A few days after Xander was born my parents came into town from Mexico City to be with their first grand-baby. Just after that Tara’s mom came from Florida to see the boy. In a couple days Tara’s dad from New York will be here as well. It has been a welcome assistance to have them here. Mostly it helps with the feeling that we are not just dropped off with a newborn. Our boy is a great baby. He sleeps through the night, eats well and poops like a champ. The new grandparents I am sure did not come close to their fill of Xander time but, they will see him again soon, we are all spending Christmas together along with my brother and his wife.

Through out the last month I have also been learning to walk again. I am working on a video but my abilities in that area are slow and will have it soon. Things are going ahead of schedule in the process, as normal I am pushing it. From day one with the new leg I have been walking with a cane, I hate crutches. It feels great to walk regardless of the fact that it is not going as fast as I want it to. I will blog more about this as it progresses. Right now we are still working on getting the socket to fit correctly and once we can get that dialed in I’m sure I will have some stories of breaking something soon.

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/update/feed/5tarvercwhat-a-cuttie.jpgstanding-with-my-wife.jpgWe need your picshttps://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/we-need-you-pics/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/we-need-you-pics/#commentsSun, 19 Aug 2007 03:30:34 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/we-need-you-pics/We are working on a new website for shirts for limbs. One of the pieces that we are looking for is an interaction with the process, a way to show that everyone is a part of this venture. To fill this piece we are asking that if you have received a shirt send us a picture of you wearing the shirt. We are going to have a slide show, of sorts, showing off all those that have contributed to the cause.

Here is a picture of the Saturday Market booth we do when daddy has gotten enough sleep to be able to enjoy a Saturday with Portland finest.

Keep the picture clean, but send in pics of you doing what you do while wearing the shirt.

]]>https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/we-need-you-pics/feed/3tarvercsmarket2.jpgTarver, Walking?https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/tarver-walking/
https://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/tarver-walking/#commentsThu, 16 Aug 2007 18:27:28 +0000http://tarverc.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/tarver-walking/It is getting so close I can taste it. Last week I took my first step on a prosthetic leg. Through the process of what we created with Shirts For Limbs and some of the press that we have received, I was donated a knee. Here, is the full story of how that came about.

The socket needed some adjustments and tomorrow it should be done. This is the piece that is so crucial fits just right. I am going with a suction type socket and over the last month I have been working on the strength of the stump, with that the shape has changed. Aside from all that I was able to walk on the leg. In a matter of minutes I figured out how this knee works and how to control it. When straight, and with heel pressure it locks. Then, when you put pressure on the toe it unlocks and bends for a step. Over about a half hour of walking back and forth between parallel bars, stopping to tweak here and there, I was able to walk! Half way through the process my prosthestist suggested putting my full weight on when stepping and not using the bars for support. I said I have been doing that the whole time and then he started paying attention to my hands.

It felt so good. I still have a decent amount of nerve pain in the stump but when I was in the leg and moving around there was no pain at all. I was so close to tears, I have not been able to walk with out pain for fifteen years. Tara said that if I would have had pants on she wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference from before.

This is by no means the end of the need to raise $$$ though. This knee that was donated will work as a great knee to learn on and possibly use as a back up. We still have the goal of $40,000, and I am still amazed at what has come in so far. Thank you to all of you that have donated and are keep up with the progress. There have been some cool things happening with legislation in Oregon that will help out in January. I will write more about that soon, but it is still going to leave gaps for amputees and I would love to be of assistance to help pick up those out of pocket costs, let alone what mine will are now. So please keep spreading the word.

Here are a few pictures of the process.

Oh yeah, have I mentioned how adorable my son is. Here is a classic picture of Xander and Daddy taking a nap.